Class brings out the artist in seniors

By Dave Clark

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008 | midnight

Georgia Lawson grew up the daughter of an artist, but waited until later in life to explore her own talent. Michael Ambrose had intended to paint as he sailed around the world, only to find that his boat consumed all of his time.

Their disparate journeys toward art brought them to Icel Midkiff's oil painting group at the Henderson Senior Center — a class that meets once a week for six weeks. Midkiff, 75, is on hand to offer advice and tips as beginners and longtime artists meet for 2 1/2 hours of creative camaraderie.

Forming on Ambrose's canvas was a scene of surf, birds and rock. England's Durdle Door cove has long lingered in his memories from his sailing days.

Swapping the high seas for the high desert, the British native has been coming to classes at the senior center for three years.

"It's one of the first seascapes I've tried," said the 73-year-old. "I remember dropping anchor, getting out the tea and watching the sunset. I'm trying to capture something like that."

Working from a picture, Ambrose added a flock of birds to lend depth, concentrating on the textures of the feathers.

While he never found time to indulge his artistic urges before moving to Henderson, Ambrose said it was easier than he thought. Now, he creates a painting a month and is a member of the Henderson Art Association.

"I find while I'm doing it, you switch off from everything else," he said. "You're off in your own little world."

Lawson's world for the day consisted of a burro retrieving garbage from a trash can. The two-year Henderson resident lifted the unusual subject matter from a newspaper photo.

"I want to paint my own thing, not what somebody else did," Lawson said.

Lawson vividly recalled her mother's swish of brush on canvas at home. But until her move from Southern California to Oregon 15 years ago, she didn't take it seriously for herself.

"After my divorce, God put me in a place where all these artists are," said Lawson, 66. "You don't even realize until you're older it's something other people can't do."

She finds the group setting much more amenable to the craft than her cramped apartment.

"Joining other people makes you paint instead of staying at home watching television," Lawson said.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].